Spicy to Non-Spicy Romance: Character-Driven Romance, Fantasy, and the Freedom of Indie Publishing with Author Starr Z. Davies

Season 6, Episode 740: Spicy to Non-Spicy Romance: Character-Driven Romance, Fantasy, and the Freedom of Indie Publishing with Author Starr Z. Davies. We chatted about the Honey and Jalapeno Romance Bookfair that I am hosting in Minnesota May 17th, 2026, and that both of us will be attending as authors at the Big Wood Brewery in Vadnais Heights, MN, learn more: https://pinkinfinitypublishing.com/honey-and-jalapeno-book-fair-a-minnesota-book-fair/Author Bio: STARR Z. DAVIES is an award-winning author of over 20 tales that span dystopian realms, epic fantasies, and echoes of forgotten histories. Dubbed the "Character Assassin," she weaves stories where heroes are tested by fire—both emotional and physical. From her woodland home in northern Wisconsin, she crafts worlds while surrounded by her greatest allies: a supportive husband, two imaginative children, and a curious menagerie of robotic pets. When not conjuring new adventures, she dabbles in home enchantments, swims like a siren, battles through video game quests, and devours books like ancient tomes of power. Connect with Starr: Kickstarter for Stormcrown: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/szdavies/stormcrown?ref=4mzulsWebsite: https://www.starrzdavies.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.z.davies/ Books (affiliate links): Stormvalor https://amzn.to/4tP57VpFractured Empire Series: https://amzn.to/4tYevpSDiscussion Topics:Writing Across Romance SpectrumWriting Age-Appropriate Content as AuthorsWriting Sex Scenes Into Your StoryCutting Scenes That Don't Feel GenuineNavigating Genre Labels and Reader ExpectationsAmazon's Censorship of Sexual ContentAmazon's Unfair Author Review PoliciesDealing with AI Accusations and Online BullyingCreating Characters Over Twenty Years AgoHow Language and Fantasy Changed My Writing PathWriting Fast and Managing Multiple ProjectsKey Takeaways:• Intimate scenes should emerge organically from character authenticity rather than being added to meet genre expectations. Both authors write what feels true to their stories, not what readers demand.• Indie publishing offers creative freedom that traditional publishing restricts, allowing authors to explore mature themes without censorship or pressure to fit commercial standards and limitations.• Genre classification for romance blended with fantasy is different for Romantasy, romantic fantasy, and fantasy romance. Each of the blends is inherently subjective, making marketing challenging because readers interpret the same work differently regardless of authors' content descriptions.Podcast Host Ruan WillowRuan's book Beach House Views ⁠https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/beachhouseviewsbook⁠ directly from Ruan ⁠https://payhip.com/b/pMxn3⁠⁠Support the show and get exclusive content⁠Sign up for Ruan's Newsletters ⁠https://subscribepage.io/ruanwillowGet 10% OFF ENTIRE ORDER (min. purchase $69, no usage limits) with code RUANWILLOW10 on pleasure sex toys at https://www.kiiroo.com/ https://offers.feeliate.com/to92wTJhAffiliate link, collect your body's health and sexual health info with a wearable device for men from Firm Tech 15% OFF with code ruan15 ⁠⁠https://myfirmtech.com/ruanwillow⁠⁠Copyright 2026 Pink Infinity Publishing LLC. All Rights Reserved.Prelaunch Sale!Get Ruan Willow's new dark romance suspense thriller fiction novel "Beach House Views" for only $0.99 (for a limited time only) universal link https://mybook.to/beachhouseviews